Tag Archives: Psych

Shawn and Gus’s friendly visit to New York has gone dangerously off the tracks, and Gus finds himself teaming up with FBI agent Peter Burke in an attempt to find Shawn who has disappeared along with Peter’s CI, Neal Caffrey. Meanwhile, Neal and Shawn find themselves kidnapped, waking in a strange place and searching for a way of escape. And back in Santa Barbara, the gang are also placed on alert as they find their resident psychic has been kidnapped and is currently missing. . . . And is this even really just a kidnapping, or is it part of some grander scheme?

I really enjoyed DTS’s story Psychic in the City, but as I mentioned in my review of that, it leaves us on this major cliffie. (White) Collar Optional brings us in right where that story cuts off–you might even consider them two pieces of one story, only this second part leaves New York pretty quickly. The things I loved about Psychic in the City are here in spades–the fabulous crossover, the great writing, the interesting and fun combination of character interactions and bigger plotlines. But this story feels more mature, more developed. It actually handles the things I had minor issues with in the previous story, drawing out the characters’ individual quirks more and also discussing more how Shawn and Neal’s relationship actually works. And I have to say, their hijinks here are pretty amusing. It’s also fun to see the SBPD group get in on the action here. The one area I got tripped up on in this story (and this may totally just be my being stupid and slow) but the whole big plot of showing up Shawn as a fake got kind of convoluted and weird in my mind. . . . But I enjoyed the story as it occurred anyway, and I found the individual characterizations and their interactions to be more than enough to make up for any plot confusion I felt. I would definitely recommend (White) Collar Optional, although please read Psychic in the City first; this is one of those stories where the sequel really needs to be a sequel and is not a standalone story.

Shawn Spencer and Neal Caffrey first met in a museum in Chicago when they were both still just teenagers, striking up an unusual but lasting friendship. Nearly a decade later, Shawn finds himself in New York, pulled into the FBI’s White Collar division as a consultant in the search for an international art thief, forger, and con man–only to quickly discover that the man in question is his old friend, at which point, Shawn quickly removes himself from the case. Years later, Shawn and Gus are once again in New York, and Shawn stops by the White Collar office to say hi, finding himself unexpectedly face to face with none other than Neal Caffrey, now a CI for the FBI! Happy reunions are had, new friendships are made, and stories are told all around . . . but it appears that these friends aren’t the only old acquaintances in New York, and someone has ill intentions towards Shawn and Neal.

These two stories are ones I’ve wanted to see a crossover fic for basically since I first discovered the shows. And DTS does a great job melding these stories in Psychic in the City. I love the way the author builds up this backstory, using a series of unrelated encounters that inevitably bring them all together in the end–the history and the time factor add a nice touch to the story. The author does a good job with the characters as well, although in some ways I wish they had been a bit more strongly characterized, if that makes any sense at all. Shawn and Neal are a lot alike, but they’re also really different, and although I can see them bonding over their similarities, I can also see them exasperated/baffled by their differences. But I guess I also like the idea of them finding someone in each other that they can be themselves with, sans all the acting and the fronts they both put up generally. What I’m trying to say is that, although the characterizations weren’t exactly what I expected or would have done myself, I liked them and found them to be credible and in-character–and what more can I ask than that? The plot was also interesting and entirely plausible for these guys, but warnings for a major cliffhanger ending. There’s a sequel, though, which will probably be reviewed here shortly. Psychic in the City is definitelya recommended story for those who enjoy these two shows.

Shawn and Gus have properly settled in to life in San Francisco (having been there for three years already). They’ve opened a new office in Chinatown, which Shawn has cleverly (in his own opinion) named psychphrancisco. Yeah, not the most successful psychic detective agency ever, but whatever; Gus has a full-time job to help support their rent and such when they don’t have cases. Oh yeah, and Shawn and Juliet still aren’t married . . . which may actually have something to do with why Shawn is snooping around shady areas of town wearing Gus’s Hagrid costume. Looking for a stolen ring perhaps? But it quickly becomes clear that the gang have more important (or at least more immediate) issues to handle when Juliet becomes the target of a mystery killer–one that will require all their combined skills to bring to justice.

The best way to describe Psych: The Movie is that it’s an extended episode of the show. So if you like the show, you’ll probably like the movie and vice versa. I have to say, it’s fun to see the gang back together again. The Shawn/Gus dynamic is going strong. I honestly think they sat down and figured out how they could cram as many of the classic running gags for the series into one episode as possible–and include some new plays off the old bits as well. As such, the movie is funny. Very funny in a goofy Psych kind of way. And did I mention random? Because it’s definitely random, right from the get go. On the negative side, I really, really wish we had gotten more of Lassiter than a video call offering support. I miss having him be a part of the gang–if for no other reason than that no one else is as good at picking on Shawn. But we did get a good cast, including Shawn, Gus, Jules, Chief Vick, Shawn’s dad, and (randomly but welcomely) Woody. The villains were kind of annoying more than actually menacing (other than the whole kidnapping thing), and the main plot didn’t really stand out to me. But let’s be honest, how many of us watch Psych for the plot, anyhow? We do get some cute Shules action here–including some resolution to the end of the TV series. Yay! So yeah, basically if you like the show, I would recommend the movie.

It’s really all Shawn’s fault, not that that’s anything new. First, Gus’s car got towed because Shawn said it would be fine to park in the reserved zone, and they were running late in the first place. Then when they went to the impound lot to get the Blueberry, Gus got hit with a huge bill for all the times Shawn “borrowed” his car and parked where he wasn’t supposed to. Then they got shot at (obviously somehow Shawn’s fault, right?). Then Gus nearly got hit by a speeding car while running away from the gunman. And now they’ve got the driver of said speeding car, an admittedly attractive but clearly loony woman, following them around claiming she’s receiving psychic instructions from Shawn. Which is rubbish, because Shawn’s not even actually psychic. How does Gus manage to get in these situations?! Oh right, it’s Shawn’s fault.

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read was a surprisingly good TV-show tie-in novel. All too often, these sorts of books are clearly written by someone who has only a minimal grasp of the show (if that), and the characterizations and writing suffer because of that. This book, on the other hand, actually read essentially like an episode of the show–down to the flashback at the beginning! The plot is as convoluted and unpredictable as ever, driven on by Shawn’s random grasping at ideas. But then, when is the plot ever actually the point of this show anyhow? Shawn’s randomness, goofiness, and unexpected (to all but the readers) brilliance and the whole Shawn-Gus dynamic were well done; they felt true to the characters that I know and love from the show. For those who love the rest of the gang (and I do), this story does leave a bit lacking in that department. You’ve got a smattering of Henry and a touch of Chief Vick and Lassie, but just barely that. And Juliet’s part doesn’t bear mentioning; it’s sad, that’s what it is. And I do love some Shules in my Psych stories, so I missed her. But despite the lack of some of my favorite characters, I think A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read was well written and enjoyable–recommended for those who like the show.

Just what are you supposed to do when your dad’s been training you to be a cop your entire life but you have neither the discipline, the motivation, nor the maturity to work within the regulations of an actual police department? Shawn Spencer has an idea–why not open up his own private psychic detective agency? Use his observational skills to solve cases. Indulge in a little (okay, a lot) theatrics on the side. Getting to work alongside the police department without being bound by their rules is a plus. Especially if it involves bugging their uptight head detective and flirting (or trying to flirt) with the attractive new detective assisting him. Dragging his best friend away from his boring job in pharmaceuticals to join the fun? Definitely happening, despite Gus’s protests.

Psych has got to be one of the weirdest yet most fun detective/police series I have ever watched. Typically, not my genre. But this show has a lot going for it. The characters are fabulous, both because the actors are amazing and because the characters are just written well. The dynamics between them are interesting, and there’s a ton of character growth over the course of the series. The Shawn and Gus bromance is off the charts, but it manages to avoid sappiness. More like an overload of nerdiness, actually, but it works for them. The balance of the story elements works well–you’ve got drama, police/detective work, romance, and comedy all mixed together into this rather weird but wonderful conglomeration. I do have to admit, the humor can sometimes be a smidge off-color, at least compared to what I’m used to, but never to the point of being offensive (I think). And this show is definitely funny, making me laugh out loud at least once or twice an episode. Recommended, especially for those with a quirky sense of humor and an interest (at least somewhat, or you probably won’t like this) for detective shows.

Santa Barbara’s favorite (fake) psychic detective has gotten himself stumped–not something he appreciates. Shawn and his colleagues are tracking down a killer who live tweets his crimes, but they just can’t seem to keep up. This guy is just too good. And too psychopathic for Shawn’s usual tricks to work; he’s finding the guy impossible to read. Which becomes problematic in the extreme when the killer takes an interest in Shawn personally. . . .

Gah, writing summaries for mysteries is nigh on impossible to do well! Anyhoo. A Little Birdie Told Me actually has quite an intriguing plot and premise both, regardless of how poorly I describe them. And with 36 lengthy chapters, the author takes the time to develop the ideas properly. There’s a good balance of mystery, romance, and excitement throughout, including some nail-biting moments in the latter half of the story. The writing itself is absolutely solid; very nice to read. But what I probably love most about this fanfic is the way in which the author captures the characters. The tale is told in first person, alternating between Shawn’s (primarily) and Juliet’s voice–and the characters are spot on. I’ve seen writers capture Shawn pretty well in the past, but this author goes the extra mile to pull together nuances, details, all the little absurd things that make Shawn, well, Shawn. I love it! The relationship building between Shawn and Juliet is really cute as well, very them. I would definitely recommend A Little Birdie Told Me to Psych fans everywhere, and I will be checking out the author’s other work in the near future.